The New Zealand teams join Super Rugby on Friday when the Highlanders host the Blues at the Forsyth Barr stadium in Dunedin.

The Highlanders and the Blues have played each other 29 times in Super Rugby and the Highlanders have won 13 matches and lost 16. There have been no draws between the sides.

The last two matches – one home and one away – were both won by the Highlanders. In the last five Super Rugby matches between the sides the Blues have won just once and that was in Auckland.

The Highlanders have won their last five Super Rugby matches against the Blues at home in Dunedin as the last Blues victory in the city was back in 2011. Overall the Highlanders have hosted the Blues 14 times and won 9 matches giving them a record of winning 64% of their home matches.

The Blues have named a strong side for their opening round match but they have a long-standing habit of losing away from home so the Highlanders should win this.

Last season’s Super Rugby champions the Crusaders get a tough start to their title defence as they face a team that have won four out of the last six matches between the sides.

Overall the Crusaders and Chiefs have met 31 times and thee Crusaders have won 18 times and the Chiefs have won 13 times. That gives the Crusaders a record of winning 58% of their matches against the Chiefs.

As mentioned earlier the Chiefs have won four out of the last six matches but crucially the Crusaders won the last two. Scott Robertson has yet to lose against the Chiefs.

In Christchurch the teams have met 14 times and the Crusaders have won 9 times and lost 5 matches. This gives them a record of winning 64% of their home matches with an average score of Crusaders 28 Chiefs 19.

The Waratahs host South Africa’s Stormers in their opening match and although they will have home advantage they host a team who have already played a match and will not be as rusty.

The Stormers opened their Super Rugby campaign against the Jaguares in Cape Town but have now had to travel to Sydney where they have not won since 2015.

The Waratahs have played the Stormers 19 times in Super rugby and they have won 8 matches, drawn 1 and lost 10. In Sydney though the Tahs have hosted the Cape Town side 8 times and won four and lost four.

Last year’s Super Rugby finalists the Lions kicked off their Super Rugby campaign last week at home against the Sharks.

The Lions delivered a solid performance while the Jaguares made a slow start but then in the second half started to put pressure on the Stormers. At altitude a second half comeback will be tough for the Jaguares.

The Lions have played the Jaguares four times and they have won 2 and lost 2. Interestingly in the four matches played whoever was at home was the match winner so the Lions have never lost to the Jaguares at home.

The Bulls play in the final match of the second round of Super Rugby and they host Wellington’s Hurricanes who in recent years have been a threat to all sides.

The Bulls have played the Hurricanes 18 times in Super Rugby and have won 8 matches and lost 10. In Pretoria the Bulls have hosted the Hurricanes 10 and they have won four and lost six.

That gives the Hurricanes a record of winning 60% of their matches against the Bulls in one of Super Rugby’s toughest fortresses. The Hurricanes have also won their last three matches against the Bulls.